Is the Medium Distorting the Message? How the News Media Communicates Advances in Medical Research to the Public

Abstract

Among the medically lay public, the news media is one of the primary sources for information on current trends and research findings in health prevention, promotion and treatment. Research suggests that more than 75% of people act on such information, with a large number of individuals acting solely based on news media reports, with little or no expert consultation. This highlights the influential role of the lay press in issues of population health. However, it has often been noted that information regarding methodology, study limitations, financial support, conflicts of interest, and absolute results are often excluded in news media reports on medical issues. A non-systematic review of studies employing content analysis to assess the quality of medical reporting was conducted. The review highlights a variety of common deficiencies in healthcare reporting. The authors make specific recommendations to both scientists and members of the news media to improve healthcare reporting in areas where evidence of deficiencies exist.

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